Bush said 5,700 U.S. forces would be home by Christmas and that four brigades — at least 21,500 troops — would return by July, along with an undetermined number of support forces. Now at its highest level of the war, the U.S. troop strength stands at 168,000.

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27,200 troops to return by July, 2009.

Seems to me this President will be handing the Iraq war over to our next President.

Let's remember this:

There were more than 27,200 troops involved in the surge.

Obviously, this troop reduction is a decrease in the surge.

It in no way, shape or form implies that there is any intention in ending the war in Iraq anytime in the near future.